Transfer news: Arsenal all-out to secure Gonzalo Higuain in summer deal

Arsenal is reportedly ready to give everything to secure a summer transfer of Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain to Emirates Stadium.

According to Spanish website Fichajes, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is keen on bringing Higuain from the Serie A side to the English Premier League, with the 66-year-old manager ready to shell out a lucrative offer for the Argentine international. Tom Maston of Goal noted that Napoli have been reluctant to sell Higuain, with the club having priced the 28-year-old striker at at least £70.5 million (AU$141.2 million) last year, but Wenger “has insisted the north London hierarchy break the bank to get their man”.

James Dudko of Bleacher Report believes acquiring Higuain would make sense for Arsenal, who is currently tied with Tottenham Hotspur in the EPL rankings with 51 points. Dudko noted that Higuain would be more effective than Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud, who scored 18 times in all games this season for the Gunners.

“The Gunners' problem in front of goal is a simple one. Wenger's squad lacks natural finishers,” Dudko wrote. “The Argentinian can stretch a defence with pace, is a force in the air and is a more decisive finisher than Giroud.”

Higuain is the top-scorer in the Serie A this season so far, with 24 goals in 25 competitions, which makes him a huge target for Wenger in the summer market. However, Higuain’s brother and agent Nicolas insisted the former Real Madrid scorer would not leave Stadio San Paolo, at least for now, with Napoli setting their sights on the UEFA Champions League.

“Champions League with Napoli. Yes, for the moment,” Nicolas told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli as reported by Football Italia. “We have a contract and there’s no chance of playing elsewhere, but we can’t think about the Champions League now, but just about playing every game.”